2006 Acura TL with 238k. Bought it in 2019 for $3600 with 197k and only work I've had done are regular oil changes, tires, battery and and alternator. I started getting intermittent flashing cel which would go away with acceleration, idle would be rough when idling in park but moreso when in drive stopped in traffic. The flashing cel went away for 2-3 weeks so i thought "bad gas" and proceeded to get new tires on a Friday. Next day i get on the interstate and make it maybe 5 miles and the cel starts flashing, car shakes and i lose all power. It would not crank over after that which i knew my battery was 6 years old so put in a new one and it would crank but very slowly (see youtube link). Fuel pump? Oil pump? Timing?

 

What codes are you getting?

 

Not sure, I don't have a code reader and currently can't have it towed because it's snowed in. The video is best i have at the moment

 

Diag'ing this without codes is next to impossible.

How old is the timing belt?

 

Order one of these: https://a.co/d/871LRPr

This way you can at least check the codes out.

You made no mention of ever having the timing belt serviced? Do you know if it has ever been done?

 

I might be mishearing but to me that sounds like poor compression, that would be one of the things I would check along with fuel delivery and if it's sparking. Also get a code reader as mentioned to scan the codes as they are the biggest indication of what went wrong.

 

Everything I’ve ever read says that a flashing CEL is way worse than a solid CEL. I find it mind blowing somebody could see a flashing CEL and say “ehh let me just accelerate through it so it goes away” and then keep driving for another 2 weeks without taking it to the shop or to get the codes read. Lol I wish I had that level of not giving 2 Fs. My life would be so much less stressful.

 

Here's someone that gets close below.
Timing belt question when to change - AcuraZine - Acura Enthusiast Community

 

So i got a code scanner and a new battery and it's showing zero codes pending or stored, maybe from where it sat dead for so long? Idk how to pull codes since it won't start.

Also, i have noticed when turning the key over i can not hear the fuel pump prime (no buzz). I was told to change the PGM-FI main relay to see if that made a difference but i can find where it's located. I know where the fuel pump relay is but i was told since I can't pull codes to try the main PGM-FI relay first.

 

Code reader can pull codes without the engine running. Depending on what code scanner you got, you might be able to monitor fuel pressure as well.

 

Welll..... which is it?

 

I hooked up the reader and it shows no pending or stored codes. What i was saying was i KNOW there had to have been codes before it stopped running since the CEL was flashing, but after letting it sit for 3 months I can't get any codes to show and I'm guessing it's because it will not start and I don't have a good enough obd2. Meaning idk what to do in order to get the codes that were there when it stopped running since NOTHING is showing now. That clear it up for ya?

 

This is the code reader i purchased. I'm guessing it either can't pull the codes since it won't start or it's not communicating because of a computer problem within the car.